"This collection of short stories has two purposes : first, to give to the general reader interesting specimens of the best narration; second, within small compass, to supply the teacher or student of English composition with varied and profitable material for study of the art of narrative writing."--Pref. Includes brief introductory biographies of the authors
Lamb, c. The supernnuated man (sketch)--Irving, W. Rip Van Winkle (tale)--Hawthorne, N. The great stone face (allegory)--Poe, E.A. the purloined letter (detective story)--Thackeray, W.M. Phil Fogarty (burlesque)--Dickens, C. Dr. Manette's manuscript (story of incident)--Harte, F.B. The outcasts of Poker flat (local color story)--Stevenson, R.L. Markheim (psychological story)